Semifinals: Chris Andersen vs. Kevin Gerhart

â€œWhy aren't you playing Ari's list? There are only two Lingering+Souls in Ari's deck,â€ Kevin
asked. â€œBecause I like my list better!â€ Chris immediately replied. Kevin would have to get
through all those Spirits to take Chris down, but if he did then a slot in the finals awaited him.

Game 1

Chris loves his list for this tournament.

Chris started the game on Evolving+Wilds, and he fetched Swamp after Kevin dropped
Seachrome+Coast and nothing else. Kevin had mulliganed to six, so Chris was glad to see no
cantrip and no Delver. His own Seachrome+Coast did not merit a spell, but after Kevin passed
turn 2 with another Coast Chris cast Lingering+Souls.

That provided Kevin with an opening for Geist+of+Saint+Traft, and Chris did not have Phantasmal
Image to immediately trade. He did, however, have a second copy of Lingering+Souls. â€œToo
many Tim Atens on the field,â€ Kevin muttered, starting his turn with Gitaxian+Probe. Two
landsâ€”including vault of the Archangelâ€”and Gideon+Jura plus Sun+Titan awaited him.

â€œThat hand,â€ Kevin said, jotting it down and then shuffling up his Ponder. Kevin swung
with his Geist, Chris losing two Spirits after blocking with everything, and a new Geist
resolved. â€œThere's a party at Gideon's house, and you get to come!â€ Chris declared, casting
the planeswalker and boosting him immediately on his turn. He'd likely be blocking to ensure
Gideon remained healthy, rather than trying to trade with Geist.

Kevin solved that for him by pointing the Angel token at Chris, and Chris still chumped the
attack. Snapcaster+Mage and Ponder on Kevin's side, ending the turn with two mana untapped.
Chris cast Blade+Splicer, which resolved, but his flashbacked Lingering+Souls did not. Gideon
went to eight once more. Vapor+Snag removed the Golem, and Kevin had Restoration+Angel to
save his Geist from the blocks Chris made.

Now Chris could resolve Sun+Titan, but he chose to Go+for+the+Throat the Angel and Restoration
Angel his Blade+Splicer, defending Gideon to the max. When Kevin attacked, Chris tossed
Splicer on Snapcaster, and Restoration+Angel and Golem on Geist, with his last Spirit chumping
the Angel token. Kevin had another Angel for his Snapcaster and Vapor+Snag, killing the Golem
but still losing Geist.

Now Chris played his Titan, complete control of the game in place. Gideon moved to ten loyalty,
Evolving+Wilds returned to play, and Chris ate Snapcaster on defense while blocking Restoration
Angel with his own copy. Fetching more lands, Chris went to eight mana.

Turn 2 for Kevin brought a second land and second Delver, putting him pretty good to win the
game. Fortunately for Chris, he drew Go+for+the+Throat to kill one, and Kevin only got one 3/2
when he revealed Probe. Attacking Chris to 16, he tapped out to cast Sword+of+War+and+Peace.
Chris played Lingering+Souls, and prepared for the worst.

He took 9 damage and revealed a hand to probe that still couldn't answer the Aberration, with
Snapcaster+Mage needing a land to start flashbacking. Chris did hit the land, but it came into play
tappedâ€”he was forced to Phantasmal+Image the Aberration for a blocker. Kevin drew Vapor
Snag, and swung for the game.

Riding multiple Images, Chris expected Geist of Saint Traftâ€”sure enough, Kevin's
early â€œnothingâ€ did mean a Geist on turn 3, and Chris got his trade after attacking. A second
Geist with a blue mana up from Kevin meant that Chris started with Image this time, but Kevin
had Vapor+Snag. With a shrug, Chris attacked him to 15.

Tapping Snapcaster, Kevin recast Geist and passedâ€”probably a Vapor+Snag in the mix. Finding
two tapped lands with Ponder, Chris kept one and sent his Golem into the Snag. Following with
Lingering+Souls, he passed the turn. Kevin tapped Blade+Splicer and had Snapcaster+Mage on
Vapor+Snag to keep his Geist from dying to multiple blockers, leaving Chris on 14. He needed to
stave off both Geist and Tamiyo now.

Because of Tamiyo, Chris did not cast his Restoration Angelâ€”he had to open himself up to Leak
or risk death. â€œYour hand's insane,â€ he noted as Kevin had the Leak, and Chris took 8 and fell to
6 life. He tried Sun+Titan, seeming to expect failureâ€”but it resolved to grab Phantasmal+Image
on Titan and then Phantasmal+Image on Geist. Would Chris rally on 6? He swung Tamiyo down
a loyalty with Blade+Splicer, and passed with both Titans on defense and his Snapcaster tapped.

However, Kevin had all the angles with Restoration+Angel to get back his last Vapor+Snag
through Snapcaster. Snagging the real Titan and then using Tamiyo to tap down the Imaged
copy, he got through for 5 damage, with the Snag on the previous turn giving him just enough.